2014 Top Advisor Rankings: Mississippi

Ranked #1: Michael Dowell ♦ Dowell likes solving clients' problems, not pushing investments at them. "I find a lot of people are looking for solutions but get directed to a stock or bond," he says. "When we sit down with our clients, it's to solve problems." Depending on a client's needs, the 38-year veteran advisor might recommend stocks, bonds, or perhaps a closed-end fund. But he's also comfortable recommending alternative investments like long-short strategies and managed futures. "More people are learning there are ways to skin a cat other than stocks and bonds," he says. Dowell, 63, says he's a conservative investor who's more interested in preserving clients' wealth and meeting their goals than crushing the market. "If someone comes in wanting to earn 15% a year with us, it's not going to get done," says Dowell, whose wife and son are part of his six-person team. Listening is key. "The ultimate thing for clients is, are you paying attention, are you listening?"-STEVE GARMHAUSEN